36 Hour Work Week: Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Showing posts with label Wellbeing. Show all posts

I say, "Fake it till I make it"

My vision is dreamy, I admit

Will I be able to submit

Can I perform and commit?

I will do it, not just try

Little by little, I'll get by

I will be strong and won't cry

I will get help from up high

My dream board is pure, I am sure

Am I strong enough or mature?

I have my doubts and feel unsure

But each day I smile, and say, "Bonjour"

Join us in ABC Wednesday.
The letter this week is V.

Ordering out, Lunch break in the patio, ice cream, flowers, coffee, sports store shopping, meditation, good food, home-made Pad Thai

A few moments of fun 
Captured on my  iphone
Give me reasons to look back
When I feel I should groan

Banking happy moments
On my camera-phone
Cost me almost nothing 
For sure not a ton

Spending time with my daughter
Whatever we may do
Be it ordering out
Or buying shampoo

Shopping for skateboards
Or a big hula hoop
She's a joy to be with
Lately she's been good

Work is also going well
I found a new solution 
For some crazy hectic days 
I need to change zones

Just a half hour lunch break
On the patio with sun
Refreshes my energy 
When I feel I have none


My version of "I can do hard things," inspired by Lizzi from TToT

Headstand-Carin version



And to top off my week
I accomplished something
Partial headstand I did
Without my neck breaking


Click above to join us or to view more thankfuls from the TToT group.

We. started the day with frappuccino

To bribe my daughter, to get up and go

For if I didn't, she'd get up late

I was inpatient, I could not wait

I took her to my favorite restaurant

To have a brunch and save us lunch

And then we shopped until we dropped

Back home we went, and had a chat

"Let's do some yoga," she suddenly asked

I was surprised that she have asked

For a long time I offered and she just laughed

Now she was the one preparing the mats

Step by step we posed together

Following the video in the computer

That sure felt good to pose with her

It lightened our spirits and pain right after


		This post is part of the Yellow Meme.		Click the picture for the link.

Selfies, exercise, yoga-with-a-frown, and messy braid.
It was me-time before I headed to work where it was busy.

Too busy to go to the gym

Or too cheap to pay the gym fee

I can work out at home

Where it is free

No one is looking if I don't do it right

No one can see me be it daylight or night

I can wear what I want -- skirt, shorts, or tight pants

I can move oh-so-freely as careless as I want

Beneath the smile

Through the blinds

Through the window

I read your mind

I hear the sound

You can't unwound

The falling rain and force of water

Straight on the ground

Think positive, get out of bad weather

Little by little, let's run together

Our day will be marvelous

We can do better

Spone Bob fish bowl, female betta fish, little inspiration

I did not think it would affect me but last Tuesday, I kept thinking about my Betta fish I raised for three years since it was a baby an not even an inch long. It was floating in the bowl in the morning before I went to work. It seemed to have a swollen cut in the belly and already had a foul smell. How could I not notice earlier it was ill?

I went to the Pet store to buy one. The store did not have a baby Betta so I got what they have, I am guessing, a teen Betta. I got a female one hoping I will add two more female later.

I went back to the pet store another day, this time with my daughter.

“Let's get Sponge Bob.”

She was pointing at the yellow-orange pineapple house set with the big-toothed-always-smiling Sponge Bob. Funny, I had been looking of that too but did not pick it earlier thinking my daughter would think I was being too childish.

So guess if we bought it?

Of course we did, plus two female Betta fish.

Watching the fish fascinated me that I watched them for about an hour.

***

Pull up bar that I cannot pull myself up all the way.
Perhaps I should just stretch. :)

Many challenges still come in my way. I just have to fish for happiness and inspiration in my life even when they are just "Little Things."

Yesterday, I started my day with meditation for twenty minutes, then exercise. And the dogs, of course, I took care of the dogs, walking in the neighborhood before I head for work.

I got to work feeling energized. I had two patients in the intensive care unit, different cases than my usual post operative open heart surgery patients. I had a busy but good day.

In 2011, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer. After bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy, I started my journey as a woman who is surviving. I am proud I am almost four-years- in-remission. In 2017, I can declare myself as an official breast cancer survivor.

This month, I learned that one of my supporters is now undergoing treatment for metastatic breast cancer. At least four years ahead of me, and who had only stage 0 to begin with, we are all surprised she jumped from 0, to on remission, to being survivor, to stage 4. I feel crushed and I worry about myself now as well. What if my cancer comes back?

Perhaps it is time to switch to an organic diet. But can I afford it?

This month, I am lucky enough to have some money set aside to experiment. I will try to invest on my health with organic food. Maybe this organic food diet will save me money later by not paying for medical bills and co-pays instead.

At the end of the month, I will have a hint if I can afford to stay on this diet. I will post how much I have spent.

Wish me luck. Better yet, would you join me in this experiment?

The geese at O'Kane Park

The heater kicks in. It is six o'clock (or five?) in the morning. That means the thermostat must read below 65. Yes, I keep my house cold overnight. I stretch from my warm, cozy bed, so comfortable, my body refuses to leave. I manage to get vertical, get my knitted hat, gloves, and running shoes on, and leash my tail-wagging-jogging buddies. At least, they are excited.

Welcome to my daily early morning.

Geese in a yard behind the park who quacks at my dogs each time we pass.

I gulp a glass of water and out we go to a thirty- to forty-degree weather.

Why do I do this? Why do I get up early to walk or jog each morning?

My doctor prescribed (along with antidepressant) a thirty to sixty minutes exercise daily.
My poor dogs are left at home for longer hours, when I work 9, since my teens are not home. I have to walk them outside for a nature treat.
I can use some muffin-top-trimming with a daily, scenic work out.
I feel more relaxed and energized through out the day when I exercise in the morning.

I think, these are also geese.

The nature welcomes me regardless of temperature. The geese wait for us each time whether the lake in the park is frozen or not. Or I'd like to think, they are waiting for us. I love watching them as I take my steps. They are beautiful, graceful, loud, and social (with each other, at least). They are reliable and always out there. When they fly, I look up to follow them, and take deep long breaths of fresh air.

What more? The nature is free unlike treadmills or elliptical. I don't need a gym membership to enjoy the fitness the generous nature offers. So I get out there, to the nearby park, and visit the geese.

Have you found your geese?

Paul and I were passing the busy street of Federal one night, when we noticed this ad on the side of the street,

“Meditate Fast, We Push You How to Relax.”

“How exactly do they do that?”

“It's like saying, hurry up and relax.”

Relaxing is not synonymous with getting hurried, that's for sure.

If you are following my blog, you have heard that my father passed away a week ago. He got buried yesterday and so I am not in the most relaxed mood of my life. I need to relax and meditate. So the post today is on meditation.

Five Minute Meditation For Busy People

I seem to not have time for a lot of things lately and I had been skipping on meditation. Bad. In this stage in my life, that is when I need it the most. So, I searched for a way to meditate that only takes five minutes but yet, still effective. I use You Tube for this and here is a link. What do you need besides You tube? A quiet place to sit or lie down.

A Video on 5-minute Guided Meditation

And here is a written instruction if you do not want to watch and be guided with You Tube.

Instructions on Five-Minute Meditation

Sit or lie in a quiet area wearing comfortable clothing . Close your eyes.
Be conscious about sitting still. How does it feel?
Be aware of your contact with the chair or area you are sitting or lying on.
Take notice of your breathing in and out. Be conscious of how your chest and abdomen move.
You can put your hands on abdomen and feel the movement this way.
Take notice of the gentle rise and fall of your body while breathing in and out.
Notice the air flowing through your nostrils into your chest as you inhale and exhale through.
If your mind wanders, simply go back concentration with breathing and your body.
Try to stay with this meditation for at least a minute observing your breathing.
Do this meditation daily, each day adding a minute or two to the point you are spending at least five minutes.

Are you ready to meditate?

Or do you have anything funny to say about meditation?

Click the An InLinkz Link-up to read other posts and share yours.

An InLinkz Link-up

Tree With Autumn Leaves

I had another day of court with daughter yesterday. We were just here last week. I had to go with her because she is a minor. It went okay, yet, still stressful. The judge indirectly blamed me for the two tickets she earned last summer.

“How many more tickets does she have to get?”

I looked at him, and then turned my head to her standing by me. Out of frustration and irritation, I responded,

“Your honor, that should be a question to her, not to me . . . Should I lock her up In her room while I go to work and when I sleep? She is fifteen years old . . . “

After his lecture, her fine and community service will be waived if she goes to two assigned classes. We should be happy, right? But the court scene was like a nail hammered deeper into my chest. My heart aches as it is and for the judge to point out to me that I did not succeed in parenting HURTS a LOT. I left the court room with tears rolling down my cheeks. She kept asking if I was okay.

Today, I went to the park for a little walk. It awakened my senses to the beauty around me. The cold breeze slapped my face. There were no longer tears on my cheeks.

L ike most, I have shared my problems and seek advice from friends and relatives. On some most difficult periods in my life, I had also postponed talking to professionals due to the beliefs--I would be fine, I would get better. And there were times that things did not get better. I avoided the issues. They either got worse or just got postponed. They did not go away.

In four different periods in my life, I got benefited by seeing a paid therapist on family issues, especially. As a result of seeking professional help, I managed to save myself, and learned to help my self.

I would rather talk to a therapist to ask for advice than to somebody close to me.

Why?

It can be embarrassing to talk to relatives and friends about my problems.

Ha-ha, it is not what you think. My F today is all about positivity, fun, or calm. I have a few things of F to share with you today. Wonder what they are? I promise, they are e-FF-ing good.

Fear and anxiety consumes me (again) since my sixteen-year old son ran away for the 20th-something time. Beyond reporting, it and trying to reach out, I can either stay in fear about what if something bad happened to him or do something about my feelings. I started to practice anxiety-reducing techniques to deal with this stressful situation. One of them is meditation. Another is art.

Why give yourself a facial?

For facial massage and mask (all in a cup)
nothing added. Then I ate the rest.
Yummy Chobani Greek Yougurt with
Coconut.

Facial keeps your skin fresh and glowing. The skin being the largest organ in our body should also be nourished and nurtured just like how we feed our bodies internally.

Why do a do-it-yourself facial?

It can be expensive going to a salon for this treatment. Homemade facial treatment can save money and time from driving to a spa for this service. So why not do it yourself? It can be easy, fun, and quite effective. You can even do it with a friend. In my case, I do it with my teen daughter. It is one way we can connect. We enjoy doing facial nights together.

This is what we did last night.

What We Used For Our Facial Session

Now, as has been for a year, I should take notice of what I have and be thankful for it. It started in February last year when my teen son began showing signs of delinquency. The situation did not get better. He is once again on a run, on a run from his temporary placement in a foster home for chronic runaways. It counts as his 20th-something time running away including the times he left our house.

Here's another post of ten things I am thankful for (TToT). I have been occupied with work, teens court hearings, daughter's school, and her volleyball. But here, I manage to gather some pictures that either put a laugh on my face or inspired me. There is nothing extraordinary here but they matter to me. If I wait for only big things to be thankful for, then I would be thankful so infrequently. I choose to appreciate positive things that come along my way, big and small.

Here they are.

What am I thankful for?

Dangerous and wild cook books that made me laugh.
I almost thought I was in the wrong section of Tattered Book Store.

I have a confession to make.

I have this one bad habit affecting my job review. I am chronically tardy in 2014. I have gotten better the last few weeks but the other day, I was late by a minute. By the time I clocked in, it was 7:01. I got pretty close but if I only left fifteen minutes early from home, I would unlikely have this issue.

Reasons for Tardiness

Laziness. It has been hard getting up.
Exhaustion. My body gets tired overnight thinking about my teens.

Here is my first ten reasons (or eleven?) to be thankful this New Year of 2015. It amazes me, no matter how hard the weeks have been, I still have at least ten things to feel grateful for. . .
Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words. Plautus Paul says this wine will expire in my home because I drink wine so little. I asked, "why rush something good?"

Top Ten Reasons to Procrastinate Joke Extra Large Mugs

by Tannaidhe

Print your picture on a mug at zazzle.com.

have been procrastinating for many years and have been thinking on how I can address this bad habit. My aunt who visits me once in a while complains about it, Paul, my boyfriend complains about, I complain about it, my dogs complain about it . . . OK, not really. They cannot talk.

But seriously, my taxes are late, my tasks at home gets done under a great deal of stress by the deadline (the last day) . . . I simply have to work on this bad habit of procrastination.

Reasons for procrastination

I am sure others have many reasons. My reasons are:

1. The task is boring (doing taxes, cleaning the house—I feel like I am being punished).

2. The task will make me upset (doing the bills, balancing checkbook, studying).

3. There are other fun and more satisfying things to do (checking updates in Facebook, watching TV).

4. Impulsivity. I have trouble keeping focused and motivated on one task at a time. I get distracted with other tasks and try to do them all. The ones I ended up doing are the ones I want to do. Then, I leave behind the boring, unpleasant task. Hmm, this is similar to number 1.

One step at a time Motivational poster

by RossiCards

Do I usually keep my resolutions?

No, I do not. Do you?

I fall into that number of people who may be aiming too high or being too hard upon self. It is a great time to think about the ideas for change, yes, starting the New Year, but did I motivate myself negatively in the past? Was I aiming too high and setting unrealistic expectations?

Why We Fail at New Year's Resolutions

According Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School instructor and social psychologist:

Wall really thinks positive
about the New Year.

It is January first. Nablopomo’s prompt for today is: what are my resolutions for 2015. The topic this month happens to be on habit and coincidentally, my resolutions revolve around curing my bad habits. Yes, curing; I am a nurse. I beat up on myself and agonize about things not accomplished last year. This year, I seek solution (again) to my faults.

I have been thinking about making myself a better person since I started this blog in September. Needless to say, I spent enough time thinking, and now it is time for action. First, what are my resolutions.

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Why do I do this? Why do I get up early to walk or jog each morning?

Five Minute Meditation For Busy People

A Video on 5-minute Guided Meditation

Instructions on Five-Minute Meditation

Why give yourself a facial?

Why do a do-it-yourself facial?

What We Used For Our Facial Session

Reasons for Tardiness

Reasons for procrastination

Why We Fail at New Year's Resolutions

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